Buying Used Mountain Bikes – Essential Tips

In these price sensitive times it is more important than ever to get as much bang for your buck as you can. This is no truer than in the hobbies and sports we all pursue keeping ourselves sane in insane times. But is buying a cheap mountain bike really going to save you money in the long term?

The buying tips I’ve outlined below will hopefully help you out and ensure you buy the right discount mountain at the right price. Remember you don’t want to have spend hundreds of dollars more in a few months time because the cheap mountain bike you bought wasn’t quite up to the job.

Tip 1
Only consider mountain bikes that are sub $200 for extreme casual use. Any bikes that are bought in this range will not last very long when ridden over rough terrain. If you can afford it check out bikes above $300, experience shows that you will get much more bike for your buck than at the $200 level.

Tip 2
Go down to your local dealer and check out potential mountain bikes and take them out for a test ride. Venture up hills to ensure that the suspension is being kind to you derriere, and the gears go low enough to get up and down those hills. Remember too that the shifters and brakes should be easy to use.
When you back to the dealer don’t be afraid to haggle over the mountain bike parts and components you don’t like. In some cases the dealer will swap them out at no extra charge to get the sale.

Tip 3
Avoid buying your bike at a big-box store. Big-box stores will stack cheap mountain bikes to the ceiling and sell them at real rock bottom prices. You’ll get initial value for money but more than likely you’ll buy a poorly made bike that is not suited to the way that you ride and will fall apart at the first moment off road.

Buying a cheap mountain bike doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice quality. In fact cheap mountain bikes are a great way for beginners to get into the sport and for seasoned pros to continue participating in the sport they love. There are some great deals to be had at online auctions site like eBay or Craig’s List. Remember that buying a mountain bike out of season can also be an option as most bikes are sold during the spring and summer months. Go for as much mountain as you can afford and more than likely your investment will pay off in years to come.

Detailed below are some of the latest used mountain bike deals from eBay. Please note that clicking on the ads will open a new window in your web browser. If you cannot see or find what you are looking for please use the search box to zero in on your next mountain bike bargain.